When it comes to the National Hockey League, social media has grown into something that plays a tremendous part in the coverage of our great sport.

One person, who works for CBC.ca and is very big into social media, fantasy hockey and more, was kind enough to take some time out of his very busy schedule to tell us about how he got into the business, what he does for CBC.ca, give some fantasy hockey advice and more.

It is my pleasure to introduce you folks, if you do not know him already, to Jordan Shifman.

PH: How did you get into hockey? JS:I grew up in a big sports family in Toronto. My father, two brothers and I often watched hockey together, especially Hockey Night in Canada. Throughout my childhood, there were many road hockey games in front of our house with friends and neighbours. I’ve also played a lot of ice hockey, but my favourite has always been on the outdoor rink, especially while going to university in Ottawa.

PH: Growing up, who was your favorite team/player? JS:I was never a defenceman, but Rob Blake was my favourite player growing up. I believe Blake was one of the few D-men that was the total package, particularly earlier in his career. He was an offensive force, a defensive presence and most certainly a physical force. If you ask me, he patented the hip check. It was an exciting day when I had the pleasure of meeting Blake during NHL all-star weekend in Toronto in 2000.

PH: At what point in your life did you know that you wanted to be involved in hockey from the media side? JS:I had a fantastic English and grammar teacher way back in grade 10 that motivated me to become a writer. Then I took a few media courses later in high school and excelled. Ultimately, that motivated me to go to Carleton University to study journalism. I didn’t necessarily plan to work in sports, but sometimes I suppose you end up where you belong.

PH: Prior to joining CBC, what media outlets did you work for? JS:I have worked for Global TV at their Ottawa Parliamentary Bureau and have also done some work for CTV. But mostly, I’ve been with CBC in various capacities both Toronto and Ottawa, including stints with CFL on CBC, Hockey Night in Canada and Canada Now: Ottawa.

PH: How did you get your current gig at CBC? JS:My first experience with CBC was an unusual one. While at Carleton, I was selected by CBC for a show called “Fresh Voice,” which aimed at showcasing Canada’s young journalists. I produced my item for the CBC News Network special in Ottawa. In the end, only eight stories actually went to air during that show, including mine. After that, I worked for CBC on some CFL games and then the Turin Olympics. Then I joined the CBCSports.ca group to work on a project called Mash Up and have been here ever since.

PH: What are your responsibilities at CBC?JS:I am an associate producer for CBCSports.ca. I host CBCSports.ca’s Fan’s Corner with Hockey Night in Canada’s Craig Simpson, as well as weekly live chats during Hockey Night in Canada. I write a weekly fantasy hockey column with a colleague and I also often write about fantasy baseball and social media (you can follow me @JordanShifman). Additionally, I often work on the wires and am responsible for much of CBCSports.ca and Hockey Night in Canada’s social media. I also am involved with many of our contests, like the Anthem Challenge and Hockeyville.

PH: What is it like to interact with hockey fans from all over the globe when you host an online chat? JS:There’s nothing like it. Chatting with such knowledgeable fans not only from across Canada, but also the US, Australia, England and other places really does prove that hockey is most certainly a global sport. It’s not just their knowledge that stands out though. It’s fascinating to think how I’ve been able to create such great relationships with so many of these people even if we’ve never actually met. I genuinely look forward to talking to them each week.

PH: As someone who covers fantasy hockey as well, which player has really stood out to you? JS:At the start of last season, I chose Claude Giroux as the player I thought would break out into a premier NHLer. He didn’t disappoint. A year later, he’s still such an impressive player and I expect that to continue for many years to come. You can check out that Fantasy Hockey Faceoff edition here.

In terms of this season, who would have thought that Oilers’ rookie Ryan Nugent-Hopkins would be top-15 in league scoring a quarter of the way through the season? He’s a very talented player, but he’s certainly performing like a guy that has been in the league for years. The future is very bright in Edmonton.

PH: Is there anything else you would like to share with Kukla’s Korner readers? JS:All of Hockey Night in Canada’s broadcasts are streamed online for free at CBCSports.ca. (NOTE: THIS IS FOR CANADIAN IP’s ONLY) Join me for our live chat during the games!

About Goal Line Report

Patrick has a tremendous passion for hockey. Besides covering the Rangers and the NHL for Kukla's Korner, you can also find Patrick's work over at Sportsnet.ca, The Red Light District Hockey Blog, NHL Home Ice, and Liam Maguire's Ultimate Hockey web site.

Prior to writing for the above mentioned outlets, you could find Patrick's musings at hockey web sites/outlets such as TheHockeyNews.com, TheFourthPeriod.com, Spector's Hockey, Hokeja Vestnesis, Blueshirt Bulletin, SNYRangersBlog.com and many more.